Dorothy Maxine (Carpenter) Keenan

Photo courtesy of Rick Fisher, findagrave.com

(December 18, 1927 - March 30, 2016)

The Lusk Herald

April 6, 2016

A memorial service for Dorothy Keenan, 88, will be held at 1:00 P.M. Thurs., Apr. 7, 2016, at the Niobrara County Fairgrounds Auditorium in Lusk. She passed away Wed., Mar. 30, 2016, at the Goshen Care Center in Torrington.

Dorothy Maxine Keenan was born in Scottsbluff, Nebr., Dec. 18, 1927 to Donald and Irene (Pitney) Carpenter. When she was 6 months old the family moved to Douglas, Wyo., residing there until 1937, when they moved to a ranch in the Nebraska Sandhills. She was a 4-Her, with home-making and animal projects. She liked spelling bees and glee club, but mostly was a tomboy, and could handle a team of horses and machinery with confidence. She graduated high school at Burwell, Nebr. in 1945, whereupon she returned to Douglas to escape hay fever. The next seven years she enjoyed being legal stenographer for the Honorable T.C. Daniels; helped part time in the flower shop for Cecil and Lillian Stark; and also had the privilege of babysitting a future Wyoming governor, Mike Sullivan. She was proud of him - even if he was a Democrat. In 2005 she attended her 60th alumni affair, the only one she ever visited.

In 1951 Dorothy met Richard Keenan of Glenrock, and on May 16, 1952 they were married in the Methodist Church at Douglas. In 1955 they moved to a ranch near her folks in the Nebraska Sandhills, but her recurring severe hay fever brought them back to Wyoming in 1965. They leased the Jireh Ranch near Manville, where they enjoyed their livestock activities, the wildlife, their friends, neighbors, and visitors. Richard died in 1998, and Dorothy moved into Lusk in 2000, with her last dog, Fannie Mae. She enjoyed cooking, reading, and helping neighbors and friends if she could. After moving to Lusk she did ironing for friends and family, looking forward to visiting with each one. She was also honored to iron the U.S. Flags for deceased veterans for her friend Pete Pier. She clipped and collected animal pictures, poetry, and articles of interest. She helped some at the Niobrara County Library. But she still missed the ranch and the changing seasons of nature.

Dorothy is survived by her step-son Kenneth and wife Kathryn Keenan of Lusk; step-daughter Delores and husband John Max or Aarington, Tenn.; and granddaughter Valerie and Keith of Douglas. She was preceded in death by her husband and parents. Cremation has taken place, and she will be buried beside Richard in the Glenrock Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Niobrara County Library, PO Box 510, Lusk, WY 82225.